Mixing Bowls, Jeopardy & Fruity Ass Drinks
by captainkirk
Summary: When Rose moves from California to Forks, she doesn't know what to expect. She really didn't expect to meet a boy. Emmett is a small town boy with no meaning in his life. Polar opposites may just have something in common after all. Human, Rose & Emmett.
1. Chapter 1

**These characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, not me. Just making that clear. **

**Rosalie**

"_You Could Put an Eye Out for ____$100."_

"_Traditionally in Japan, these implements are used by suicidal samurai, but not at the table" _

"_What are forks?"_

I turned the knob of the shower on, nearly as far to the red H as it could go. Waiting for my water to get perfect, I looked at my reflection. Rosalie Brandon: blonde hair, blue eyes, and almost too tall to see comfortably into the bathroom mirror. My dad died two years ago. Things are going to be okay.

I sighed, stripped off my clothes, and stepped into the shower. The steam instantly made me feel better, engrossing me in a relaxing heat. Well, the relaxing quickly went away as Alice came barreling through the door.

"Rose! No more long showers, you know my morning routine takes a lot longer and is more important than yours. Now get out!", my lovely sister said as I heard her opening and closing drawers. The perks of having a twin were great... or not. Alice was, in a word : bitchy. She was so into herself, and she was selfish all the time. Well, this is how she came off to me anyways, other people seemed to adore her.

"Why don't you just pretend like you're in a sauna instead, and get ready while I take my shower?" I yelled over the water.  
"Ugh! You know the humidity makes my hair frizz! Seriously, get out!" she said with much intended dramatization.

"Seriously... no. Now get the fuck out and let me finish my damn shower. I'm older by two minutes. Respect your elders, dammit. And I'll be out in a minute."

I heard the door slam about three seconds after that. She was so sensitive. I finished up my shower, brushed my hair, and then threw a headband on, barely making it out of Alice's way as she ran into the bathroom and shut the door. The lock made a click sound. I guarantee that she won't be as excited when she turns on the shower and realizes I used all the hot water.

I snuggled up on the couch with my wolf/husky hybrid, Jake. He was black, with some gray fur mixed in, and he was the most beautiful dog I had ever seen. He definitely looked more wolf-like than husky-like. That was perfectly fine with me, kept the burglars away. My dad gave him to me as a birthday present a few months before he died. Jake truly is my best friend. Well, it's hard to have a person for a best friend when studying is about the only thing I have time to do. Studying is crucial though, because my mom can't pay for two girls to go to college on one income. Most of her income goes to the rent in this California apartment as it is. We do have quite a bit of money left from our dad, but I wouldn't want her to spend it all on that. We already got vehicles from the deal (Mom got a Prius, Alice got a Mercedes, and I received Dad's BMW). It was a pretty good deal, I would say, besides the losing our dad factor.

My mom walked into the room, as glamorous as always. Esme Brandon was nothing short of beautiful. I think that beauty itself was probably jealous of her. It was amazing how she could be wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans and still look like a super model.

"Rosalie?" she asked.

"Yeah?"  
"Where's Alice?" she said.  
"Oh, she's in there." I said, pointing to the bathroom.  
"I should've known," she said, rolling her eyes, and went to knock on the door, "Alice, come in the living room please. I have something to tell you girls."

Mom and Alice came back into the living room and sat down on the couch.

"Girls. I don't know how to say this really... but, we're moving."  
"Moving? To a beach-front house?!" Alice said, excitedly.  
"Um. Not quite. To Forks, Washington." She said.  
"Washington? Ew. Why?" Alice said.  
"Well, honey, the economy is better there, and I got offered the opportunity to rent out a space for really cheap. I'm going to open a diner."

"That sounds really cool, Mom," I said, "I wanted to attend Washington University anyways, this will open up more scholarships!" I had to hold back my happy dance. I hated California.  
"I'm glad one of you approves, then." She said.  
"Well, I just hope there are nice looking guys there." Alice said, walking off.  
"Hm. I bet there are some. Now go pack, we leave in a week."

Packing was boring and monotonous to most people, but I loved it because it gave me an extra excuse to organize. I carefully arranged things in the boxes my mom gave me. There were multiple academic trophies, a wooden Tiki man from our last family vacation (and Dad was even there), a picture of Alice and I when we were younger and actually liked each other, my Washington University t-shirt (I have always wanted to go there, and it's only semi-related to their mascot, the Huskies), and the Holy Bible (which didn't get opened much, research had changed my mind on religion).

Being a minimalist, I didn't have very many possessions. I had what I needed, and then a few knick-knacks here and there. I had about 7 boxes, compared to Alice's 50. I bet most of hers were full of beauty products too. Alice was really pretty, but it was in an "I work my ass off to look like this" kind of way. I had been told I had a natural beauty, but I couldn't really comment on that without seeming over-confident in myself. Sure, I had ridiculously long legs. Sure, I had really great hair. And okay, maybe my eyes are a rare shade of blue (Cerulean, if I had to put it in Crayola terms). Alice, however, had short brown hair, and she was short herself. She also had Emerald eyes that matched our  
birthstone. 

The sky was overcast and it was raining really hard in Forks when I arrived. I expected it, because it is one of the rainiest towns in the country, but I wasn't really prepared for it. Going from California to a place where rain was the norm was a little awkward.

Forks, Washington did not look like the most exciting place in the world. It certainly wasn't the worst place in the world, though (ever visited Oklahoma?). Since we had to take three vehicles and a U-Haul, Jake and I made the trip by ourselves; and my mom and Alice decided to make two trips while I unpacked. Jake held his head out the window and let his tongue whip around crazily as I drove through on the main road of town.

As I surveyed the town, there actually seemed to be a little bit to offer. I saw the place where my mom would start her diner (She decided to call it "Forks & Knives" – that was my idea), a veterinarian's office, a bookstore, and an airport. Off in the distance, I saw the lights of a baseball field. There were also a lot of places that seemed to cater to the outdoorsy type. I loved that, since I am an avid birdwatcher. The only downside was, it was raining like crazy. I mean, I kind of expected it since it is on the Olympic Peninsula, but it still seemed to be pretty depressing.

As I went out of town a little more, I pulled up to the new address of our house, which was 217 Calawah Way. A log cabin was not really what I had in mind, but I actually liked it better than a regular cookie-cutter house. The outside did look like it needed to be stripped and re-lacquered, but other than that, I thought it was perfect. Except for the dirty windows, those would have to be cleaned. The cabin had an L-shaped porch with a swing and a few pots with no plants in them. In the yard there were several different species of arnica and a couple hawthorn trees. A chain-link fence made its way around the house, with dwarf bramble weaving its way through the links, spicing it up a bit. As soon as the fence cut off, there were trees everywhere. We were, literally, smack dab in the middle of the woods. It was quaint, definitely, but also nothing short of amazing. I unlocked the door, and went inside.

I already loved this place and I had been here all of two minutes. The inside was a lot bigger than it looked on the outside. The kitchen was older, but it had pretty decent appliances. The living room was spacious, and the house had crown molding throughout. There were also two bathrooms, which Alice would appreciate. There was a loft above the living room, and I quickly decided it would be my room. It was made for me, Alice could not argue against that when she arrived. She wouldn't want to carry her 50 boxes up the stairs. There also was a built-in desk, which I could do homework at. Alice probably didn't even know what homework was. Last but not least, the loft was tiny. Alice would definitely insist on a bigger room. There wasn't a window, so my privacy wouldn't be interrupted, and there were stairs that allowed Jake to climb up there too. I unpacked cleaning supplies and started sanitizing everything, giving me a head start before mom and Alice made it back.

My mom and Alice arrived at the same time, about 45 minutes into my cleaning spree. Mom and Alice had decided to make the second trip the next morning, and Mom quickly retreated to go work on her diner. She asked me if I would come down and clean sometime. I quickly agreed, since I never turn down a cleaning opportunity.

I think I already enjoyed Forks more than California, even with the dreary rain. 

**Emmett **

"_Whatcha Got Cookin' for ____$800."_

"_Often using vinegar, it's a mixture in which foods are soaked for seasoning prior to barbecuing"_

"_What is a marinade?" _

I rushed around, trying to fill the dog bowls as fast as I could. The faster I finished this, the quicker I got to go home and relax. I have no idea why I agreed to my Dad's idea of working for him for extra cash. Not that I didn't love animals, I did. But hearing them bark and meow over and over again can make someone insane. Why couldn't Dad be a plastic surgeon instead of a veterinarian? I wouldn't mind taking care of _those_ patients.

I clocked out a lot faster than my younger brother, Edward, did. He was generally more slow than I was, taking his time to finish things, but he made sure they were done perfectly. We were 17 months apart, which I think was an accident on our parent's part. I think we were more alike then we were different. He was tall, I was tall. We both had brown hair, although his was lighter. We both loved sports, and we both worked for Carlisle, our dad.

We did have our differences, though. He had our mom's green eyes, and I got lucky by getting Carlisle's blue eyes. I had a stockier build and he had a lanky build. He kept his hair short, I liked mine a little shaggy. I watched Jeopardy!, and he watched... well, I don't know what he watched because we both had our own televisions and our own rooms. I would almost bet my life on him watching a lot of porn, though.

I drove myself home, not bothering to wait for Edward. He had legs, so he could walk his slow ass back. I took a shower, threw on some sweat pants, and turned on ESPN. One of the things I loved most about Forks was the ability to relax. Nothing much goes on in a small town, right? I could just sit in my recliner for hours and hours, and no one would really care. Well, this is all assuming I didn't have to go to work. I wonder how long a guy could sit on a couch before he started to wither away, anyways.

It took a while for me to get off my lazy ass, but when I did, I put on a shirt and went into the kitchen to start marinading the steaks. They would hopefully make it on the grill tonight, if Edward ever came home to fire up the grill, that is. Damn pyromaniac. I started prodding the steaks with my fork, making enough holes for my secret marinade to seep into.

"You put the Worcestershire sauce on first, then the Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper..." I mumbled the ingredients as I went along.

"Whoa. You're actually speaking of your secret recipe out loud?" Edward said, walking up behind me.

"Didn't know you were here." I said.

"Yup. The one and only, in the flesh!" He said. "I started the grill, so those can go on as soon as Carlisle gets home."  
"Mmhmm." I mumbled.

I put the finishing touches on them and Edward grilled them to perfection, as always. Carlisle, Edward and I had a nice meal, we always did. Three men in an overly large house, no women to disturb us. Just how we liked it.

Our home situation was quite lovely, seeing as my mom left us right after Edward was born. Carlisle said she was just stressed out to the point of insanity, but we were both too young to remember anything about it. Edward and I get Christmas cards every year from her, but she never sends a picture so we still don't know what she looks like. Of course Carlisle had pictures, but he said he had a little bonfire a few months after she left him. Well, I guess we know where Edward gets his fire obsession from.

A/N – This is my first attempt at a Fan Fic, and I am already loving it, so I hope it turned out good. Also, much thanks to Erica, Gina, Diana, thecornergirl, and my mom for countless readings and suggestions.


	2. Chapter 2

**These characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, not me. Just making that clear. **

A/N – Sorry this chapter is so short, but I had to separate it from the next chapter, which is really long. Adios, and enjoy!

**Rosalie**

"_Also an Apple Variety for $1000."  
"Austere, like the people of an ancient Greek city."  
"What is Spartan?"_

A few days had gone by, and we were finally completely unpacked, much thanks to my organization skills. Today was the day we would have to go enroll at Forks High, where school started in two weeks. Mom pulled her Prius up to the front door, and all three of us got out.

There was a sign in the courtyard that read "Forks High – Home of the Spartans". Well, a Spartan was kind of a unique mascot, but at least they have a nice history and are pretty good at kicking ass. I mean, the movie "300" was a pretty big deal, right?

We walked in, and made a left into the main office. The lady at the front desk, Ellen, was pretty nice. She gave Alice and I a tour while my mom filled out paperwork.

"So, Alice and Rosalie, are you super-duper excited about attending Forks?" Ellen asked us.  
"Definitely." I said, peering at the trophies. I noticed a lot of them pertained to academics. That was a relief.

"Great! That is the trophy case, Forks excels at many different things. This is the cafeteria, where you will eat wonderful meals." Ellen said.

"Yeah... I'll bet." Alice said, and then made a noise when I elbowed her in the ribs.  
"This wing is for Science and Math, that wing is for Languages, and the other one is for Arts. That way is where the gym is located." She said, pointing north. "We can go back and get your classes now, if you would like."

"That would be great." I said, trying to act enthusiastic. I wondered what kinds of Advanced Placement classes they would have, as we walked back into the main office.

"Okay, the classes are pretty limited, since students choose at the end of the year, but this is what we have." She said, handing us each a list.

I quickly scanned it over. For first period, only Physics and Calculus were available. Second period had Calculus, English III, and Art History. Third period had the same options. Not my choice of classes, but I quickly filled in my schedule. Physics, Calculus, English, French III, Current Events, Study Hall, and Physical Education were the classes I chose. P.E. would never be on my list, if I had a choice, but it was the only thing available that I hadn't yet taken. Running around wasn't sounding too fun, but maybe it wouldn't be as bad as I thought. I mean, the worst that could happen would be getting hit in the head with a volleyball, falling into the pool, and sucking down enough water to drown. I couldn't wait.

**Emmett**

"_I'll Have the "Ham" for $200."  
"A Cricetus cricetus with large cheek pouches."_

"_What is a hamster?"_

Word spreads quickly in a small town. While I was cleaning my hunting rifle, Edward informed me that three women moved into the Richards' old log cabin a few days ago. Great, just what every hunting and logging town needs – more estrogen. That would boost tourism. At least the hunting cabins could get decked out with frilly curtains, because all men love them.

Normally, I would go to check out the new ladies, but today I was busy. I had to help Carlisle all day today, because Edward had a dentist appointment in Port Angeles. I took a shower, combed through my hair, and put on my working clothes – a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

I walked outside, and the sun was shining for once. Of course, a day I mostly had to spend at work would be sunny. Hopefully the sun was still out for baseball practice, our first one was later today. I started up my Jeep Wrangler twice (it needed a little TLC), and blared my speakers with some Nazareth as I drove to the animal hospital.

I walked in the front door, scrubbed my hands up, and started filling bowls with food and water. It was weird, I thought while I scrubbed dog shit off of bowls, that Carlisle was a vet, but we didn't even have any pets at home. Edward did have a hamster once when we were young, but I think he got vacuumed up the one time Carlisle cleaned the house. Then we got a maid. She even made our beds. I almost crapped my pants when I saw my bed made for the first time.

There wasn't as much to do today as I thought there would be, so I picked up a waiting room copy of _Sports Illustrated_ and started reading. It was looking like it would be a long, boring day.


	3. Chapter 3

**These characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, not me. Just making that clear. **

**Rosalie**

"_Sounds like Yiddish for $400."  
"Ground dry dog food, or what you do to prepare it."  
"What is kibble?"_

I woke up this morning, walked down my stairs and looked outside. The sun was shining really bright, and it actually looked like a beautiful summer day. It was August, of course, so it should look like summer, but it was the first day I had seen in Forks that wasn't cloudy. It was weird how much prettier the yard looked with rays of sunshine illuminating it. Jake was running around the yard, having a great time chasing butterflies. I went outside and filled up his bowls up to the brim with fresh food and water.

After I got back inside, I decided I could pick up some clothes and do some laundry. I measured out a cap full, let the washer run, and threw in a load. That spurred on an all-out cleaning fest, even though the house was nearly spotless as it was. I did realize I forgot to do the windows though, so I got the outsides first and then went back inside to finish cleaning them.

As I was cleaning the dining room window, I heard a loud noise. I realized it was a gunshot and ducked down in a panic. Where the hell would a gunshot come from? I didn't know if I should call 911, or if I should try and figure it out myself. I mean, it was a hunting town, there would be gunshots sometimes. But who on Earth would shoot so close to someone's house? I decided to look up and see if there was someone standing outside. I peeked my eyes over the windowsill, and that is when I saw Jake, limping his way over behind a bush. I had to do something, and I had to do it quick.

Thinking as fast as I could in a moment of panic, I put a metal mixing bowl on my head. I opened the back door as quietly as possible and slid my way out of the house. Then I positioned myself in an army crawl, and started crawling my way out to the bush that Jake was whimpering behind. Thank God for well-placed shrubbery. The majority of the time, I ended up behind a bush of some sort, but I was still worried that the crazy lunatic was out to get me, or worse, my family.

Getting him out of the bushes was hard. At first, I was kind of wary, because he is a wounded animal after all. I didn't want to be the girl that got mauled to death by her faithful companion. I put out my right hand and eased it closer to Jake. If one of my hands got bitten off, I wanted it to be my weak hand. Luckily, he licked it, and let me closer to him. I looked at his wound, and had to look away. He was losing a lot of blood, and he was losing it quickly. I took off my hoodie and tried to use it as a tourniquet, but I was no doctor. Hopefully it would hold him over until we got to the animal hospital. I lifted him up, kind of, and had to put him right back down. Shit, he was going on a diet once this fiasco was over. And I guess that Physical Education class could come in handy, because apparently I am a wuss.

After a long time of hoisting and sweating, I finally got Jake into my car. As I was driving, I was trying to think of why the heck someone would shoot an innocent dog, especially one in a backyard. The only conclusion I could come to was someone thought he was a wolf and shot him trying to protect us. I mean, he is half-wolf, after all. I thanked my photographic memory as I pulled into the parking lot of the veterinarian's office. I ran over to the other side of the BMW and tried lifting him out. Luckily, a surprisingly large guy came over to help me out. He lifted Jake up like he was a 10-pound dumbbell.

I followed him into the office of Dr. Carlisle Cullen. It was loud, apparently the other dogs weren't too fond of Jake stealing their attention or something. Oh well, I had bigger things to worry about as I walked into the operating room. I just hoped that Jake would be okay. The tall guy called Dr. Cullen in. Wow, he was a striking man, to say the least. Blond hair and blue eyes, just like me. But he was better looking, and also a man.

"Hello, I'm Carlisle. Do you know what happened here?" He asked me as he put on his scrubs and started grabbing tools.  
"Um, hi, I'm Rosalie, and we're new here, and..." I said.  
"I don't need your life story, just tell me what happened, Rosalie." He said.  
"Oh, right. I heard a gunshot and went outside and grabbed him. That's the condensed version." I said.  
"Mmhmm," he mumbled. "Now, walk with Emmett there and he will help answer any questions you may have."

As he led me out of the OR, Emmett looked at me quizzically. "Uh, is that a mixing bowl on your head?"  
I tried to remove it as fast as I could, which resulted in me dropping it and it making a loud crash. "Um, yes. Yes it is indeed a mixing bowl." I was so great with first impressions. "So, Jake is going to be okay, right?"  
Emmett nodded. "He should be, Carlisle deals with gun wounds a lot here. It kind of makes you wonder if the hunters need glasses or not."  
I laughed. Loudly, not in a cute way.

Emmett was very strong. I noticed this first when he lifted Jake, and second when he was stacking bags upon bags of dog food in the waiting room. He was also very handsome, with icy blue eyes and dark waves that fell just over his ears. It was very hard to concentrate on paperwork when he was just so... intriguing. Also, I was still worried about Jake, even though he eased my fears a little. And I was wondering how long it would take for him and Alice to hook up.

"So, Carlisle's doing a semi-invasive procedure right now. The wound wasn't very deep, so he is just going to pry the bullet out and clean it up a little before he closes the wound with sutures." Emmett explained.

"How long is the recovery for that?" I asked.  
"Car will keep him here for a few days; no doubt, but he'll be back with you soon. A week and a half, tops." He said while he continued stacking dog food bags. Seriously, how does he not get tired?

"Okay, thanks. I really appreciate everything..." I said as I stood up and started to walk out the door.

"Yeah, no problem," he said, and brushed his hands together, "So, you're going to school here, I guess?"

"Oh, yeah. I'll be a Junior."  
"Cool, me too. I guess I'll see you around then." He walked over to the door and opened it for me. "Have a good day, Rosalie."

I couldn't believe he opened the door for me. Chivalry is not dead! And, wow, the way he said my name made my head spin a little bit. I had never had a guy pay that much attention to me. Especially when I had blood on my shirt and probably looked like a deranged idiot, not to mention the mixing bowl crisis. Never, ever had I gotten attention from someone so utterly gorgeous, either.

**Emmett**

"_Sports on Film for $800, Alex"  
"Bull Durham"  
"What is baseball?"_

TING! TING! TING! I heard this sound over and over again during batting practice, which was good, because it meant I was actually concentrating hard enough to hit the ball. It was hard to practice in the rain, and it was hard concentrating when there was new meat in the town.

This new girl, Rosalie, wow. She had the librarian kind of look. Shy, quiet, awkward. But in the back of my head I knew there was something more to her. She had really long, blond hair that I knew I could tangle my hands into. TING! Whoops, this time I didn't hit the ball, I dropped the bat onto the concrete. Then I laughed because it reminded me of Rose dropping that ridiculous mixing bowl.

Oh.

My.

God.

I called her Rose, that's like a fucking pet name. I am at baseball practice, and I am thinking of some chick I just met. Pretty sure the baseball gods are going to use my bat as a lightening rod. Good thing it is sunny outside still.

"Emmett! Come on, practice like you play!" Coach Hamble boomed.

"My bad, Coach. I was just... thinking about... school."

"It starts in a week, okay. Our first game is in two days." he informed me, although I already knew this. I hit my last few balls, and then it was Edward's turn to "fuckin' show me up", as he would say. It really chapped my ass that my little brother didn't even have to try at baseball, and he was still much better than I was.

Practice was over, and Edward was driving us back to the house. We passed the old diner, where a middle-aged, smoking hot lady was trying to hang a sign.  
"Edward, hold on a minute. Stop! We need to help her, that looks really heavy!" I said, as she struggled with it.

"Come on, Em. She'll be fine. You don't always have to be the good civilian." Edward said, cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"If you don't stop, I will tell Carlisle and Coach both that you are tainting your lungs with cancer sticks." I bribed, and he stopped.

"Fine, get out. You can walk home." He quickly sped off after I closed the door.

"Faggot." I muttered under my breath.

I walked into the diner, and rushed over to the lady. It really looked like she was going to break her back. She turned around, startled, and kicked me. Kicked me?! Next thing I knew, I was getting the crap beat out of me.

"Wait, crazy lady! I just wanted to help you hang that sign." I said, holding my hands up in the air.

"Oh, wow! I'm so sorry. I just moved here from LA, and I'm not used to people sneaking in here like that. That door really needs a bell or something." She said as she fixed the chopsticks in her hair.

It took us a while to hang the sign. She lifted. I pulled. Finally, it was in the perfect location. The sign was gray & white, with a little bit of a silver lining. It said, in huge letters, "Forks & Knives". Cute. This whole time, Esme (I learned her name as we worked) was trying to set me up with one of her daughters, Alice. She said she had twins, and I was willing to bet the other twin was Rosalie. I wondered why she would try to set me up with just one, if that was the case. Maybe Alice was spectacular. I guess we would just have to wait and see.

A/N – This chapter was the most fun to write, so far. It was also the most difficult for me, but I ended up loving the way it turned out. Many, many thanks to thecornergirl for helping me with the shot scene. 3


	4. Chapter 4

**These characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, not me. Just making that clear. **

**Rosalie**

"_Muscling In for $800, Alex"  
"It certainly makes sense that this muscle's name is from the Latin for "largest rump""  
"What is gluteus maximus?"_

In the midst of all this craziness, I had totally forgotten to call my Mom. Today was the day I was supposed to help her clean. I dialed her cell number, and when I told her the story, she was nothing short of dramatic. She wanted me to stop by, so I did on my way back to the house. I walked into the space that would soon become Forks & Knives, and I kind of shuddered. It was pretty dirty. I knew it would take a while to get it Health Inspector clean, and an eternity to make it Rosalie clean. But, the important thing was that it made my mother happy. I just wish clean things made her happy too.

"Rosalie?" my mom asked, while she was banging around in the cabinets.  
"Yes, mom?"  
"I was wondering, can you make desserts? I mean, I know you made that oreo-cake thingy for Thanksgiving a few years back..." she rambled.  
"Uh, mom. That was Oreos and whipped cream, a monkey could've made that." I said.

"Well, maybe. But, anyways. I was just wondering if you would like to bake some things and bring them up here every once in a while. It would save my ass because I wouldn't have to hire a full-time baker. I'll pay you." It didn't take long for me to agree to that.

On my way back to the new house, I passed a baseball field. Now, I didn't know much about baseball, only small factoids I learned here and there (did you know that home plate is 17 inches wide, and a regulation baseball always has 108 stitches?), but I never knew how great those pants could make a butt look until that afternoon. Emmett was standing out by first base, and was wearing pants. Those tight, lovely baseball pants.

Now I had another reason to like him, and great. So did Alice.

**Emmett**

"_Do Us a Flavor for $400."  
"The 3 main types of beans that yield this flavoring are Tahitian, Mexican & bourbon-Madagascar."  
"What is vanilla?"_

The next two days went by fast. Today was the day we played Sequim, one of our rivals. I started off my morning with my usual game-day breakfast : a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios followed by a bowl of Lucky Charms (I am a superstitious, growing boy. Don't be surprised at the amount of food I eat.). About halfway through my breakfast, Carlisle asked me if I would take one of the dogs back to an owner. I agreed, and he told me the info would be on the counter. I put on my baseball uniform, since I would have to head to our pregame right after I dropped off the dog.

I took my Wrangler to the office, went to the desk, and opened up the folder. It was for Jake, the dog that was shot a few days ago. Yes! I would get to see Rosalie again, and see her house. According to her paperwork, it was located at 217 Calawah Way. That was a little bit out of town, but not too bad. I loaded Jake up into the kennel in the back of my Wrangler and headed that way.

I put him on a leash, and knocked on the door of the log house. I was playing with him when someone answered the door. She was an amazing looking girl with short brown hair & green eyes. She looked very sassy, I think it had something to do with her short stature.

"Um, hello. I'm Alice." She said, looking me up and down. "Do you need something?"

"I'm Emmett, and is Rosalie here? Jake is ready to come home." I said, lifting up the leash a little.

"Oh, yeah. She's in the kitchen. Come on in."

I obeyed her, and led the dog inside. I noticed Jeopardy! was on, so I played along and answered the ones I knew.

The questions came up on the TV, "Sting like a "Be" for 400." the contestant said. "Your garden variety this veggie is often eaten pickled; the sugar type, not."

"Beet." I answered before the contestant.

"Um, you're supposed to say, "What is a beet?"," I heard a feminine voice say, behind me. I also smelled an almost overwhelming amount of vanilla. "Nice suit, by the way."

"Oh, yeah, we have a game today. Uh, here's your dog." I said, handing him over to Rosalie.

She half-smiled. "Thanks. Any advice?"

"Yeah, just keep the cone on him for a week so he doesn't lick his wound," I said, pulling a tube of ointment out of my pocket, "And apply this to the affected area 3 times a day until it's gone."

"Okay, thanks. Nice pants, by the way." she said, admiring my baseball outfit.

"Yeah, they're pretty snug." I laughed, trying to stretch them out. "We play Sequim today, it's here."

"Hm. I think I know where the field is, maybe I'll come watch." She said, shrugging.

Oh Lord, please no. I don't need the distractions. "Sure... that'd be great. If not, I'll see you at school." I said, trying to be as casual as possible.

"Yeah, see you around." She waved, and I walked out to my Wrangler.

I drove off, shaking my head. That Rose... she sure was a different kind of girl.


	5. Chapter 5

**These characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, not me. Just making that clear. **

**Rosalie**

"_That's Criminal for $1000."  
"In 2008 a man stole a Z3 from this car company, haltingly drove it 2 blocks & fled; he couldn't drive stick"_

"_What is BMW?"_

After I watched Emmett leave, I was a little confused. I decided to make a little mental list to help clear my head.

1. Emmett knew where we lived.  
2. I had flour all over me, because I was practicing recipes for the diner.  
3. Emmett knew Jeopardy! answers. No one else my age even knows what Jeopardy! is, probably.  
4. Jake was licking my calf. Ew, that's pretty gross.

I went into the kitchen, grabbed a paper towel, and wiped off the slobber. I didn't know if I would go to the baseball game or not, because I was practicing baking for the diner when Emmett stopped by. Hm... baking horrible pies or going to a game that included a boy with nice pants? That was a real toughie.

I decided to look at Forks High's website to see if they had any information on baseball games. Success! According to the site, the game started at 6:30, and it was 2:45 now. Plenty of time to get ready, I hoped. I debated with myself on whether I should ask Alice to go or not. On the one hand, she would be the only person I knew at the game; but on the other hand she would be there for Emmett to look at more. I figured I could decide that while I cleaned up the mess in the kitchen. Also, I needed to clean up the mess that was myself at the time.

After a quick cleaning spree, a shower and a long time trying to get myself to look just right, I was finally ready to go to the game. It was about 6:00, and that seemed early enough to leave without looking too eager to get there. I dialed Alice's number in my phone because she wasn't at the house.

"Yeah?" she answered.

"You couldn't have even said hi?" I said.

"Nope. What do you want?" she asked.

"I'm going to the baseball game. You want to go with me?"

"Hm. I guess I can do that. Especially since that Emmett guy plays. He's pretty hot, don't you think?" she asked.

"Uh... sure. He's alright, I guess." Who am I kidding? He's a fox. I just didn't want her to know I thought he was great-looking.

I grabbed a hoodie and an umbrella, fearing the weather would turn bad, and headed out the door. I turned on my car, and The Format was playing in my CD player. I quickly switched it to the Top 40 Hits, because I knew Alice didn't like my music and I wanted to spare as many arguments as I possibly could. Taylor Swift was singing, and I decided to switch back to my CD. I couldn't listen to that girl's music without promptly wanting to rip my ears off. (It only takes 7 pounds of pressure to rip off a human ear. Just saying.)

When I pulled into the parking lot of the diner, Alice was already waiting for me. She threw her hands up in the air and mouthed "What the hell?!". I must have taken too long or something, but I wasn't a Nascar driver, for Christ's sakes. I drove to the baseball field and parked the car. The shiny red BMW looked out of place with all of the pick-up trucks and older cars. Apparently people noticed, because they were staring right at us with their mouths gaped open. They could have been gaping at Alice though, who knew?

We decided to sit in the bleachers on the third baseline, because that seemed to be where most of the Forks residents had sat down. Emmett looked over at us from first base and smiled. Whew, that made me feel a little less crazy. The first pitch was thrown and the game started off with a line-drive from Sequim to center-field. Whoever played that position was really good, they dove to catch the ball and our side erupted in cheers. He seemed well-loved, also. I heard a "Go Edward!", so I was assuming that was his name. Two more players came up to bat and they both were out. Three up, three down. Very nice, Spartans.

I didn't really pay much attention until I saw a #17 head to the batter's box. That was Emmett, I remembered his jersey number from when he brought Jake by. As he was walking, the opening guitar riff from Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold" was playing over the loud speaker. That seemed like a song Emmett would pick, so I was not surprised. The first pitch was a strike, but the crowd did not agree with the umpire. Many said he "needed glasses". Maybe he was also a hunter.

The pitcher went into his wind-up and threw the ball, it made a PING sound as the ball connected with the bat, and the next thing I knew, I was getting pushed down from the person behind me. It was a good thing too, the ball went sailing over where my head was a couple of seconds ago. Alice was hysterically laughing and I turned around to thank the guy.

"Oh my God. You just saved my life!" I said, looking at my lifesaver, a blond guy that looked about our age. He had a camera around his neck and stylish black-framed glasses.

He laughed. "Nah, I just saved you from a bad black eye. I'm Jasper, by the way."

"I'm Rosalie and this is my twin sister, Alice." I said, "We are new to Forks."

"Hi Rosalie and Alice." He said, shaking our hands. "I hate to excuse myself, but I've got to go take pictures for yearbook. I'll see you girls around."

He was very nice and I was hoping by the way Alice looked at him that she was thinking the same thing. That would leave Emmett open for me.

Emmett

"_"Stick"s & "Stone"s for __$100."_

"_A manually operated transmission for a car."_

"_What is a stick shift?"_

I stood on first base after getting walked by the pitcher. Wow. I can't believe I almost whacked Rose in the head with a baseball. The only thing worse that could have happened would have been if the bat had flown out of my hands and almost hit her. Okay, I needed to stop thinking about Rose and focus on baseball. This is precisely why I did not want her to come to the game in the first place.

The next 8 innings went by pretty slowly. I went 2-3 and we ended up winning, 5-1. Edward, of course, had the only home run of the game and got all the glory. I put my mitt, batting gloves and helmet into my duffel bag and spit out my enormous amount of sunflower seeds. I threw the bag over my shoulder and walked out of the dugout. Rosalie and Alice were standing at the edge of the bleachers, talking to Jasper. Rose was leaning against the bleachers, and the way she did it made her legs look fantastic. They were so long, and those shorts were so short. She also was wearing red lip gloss (or lipstick, I really don't know the difference between those torture devices women call make-up), and this made me notice how white her teeth were. Also, the way she had her long, beautiful hair up out of her face was making me sweat. Good thing we just played 9 innings of baseball.

I walked over to her, trying to look as confident as possible, but I was not the best with talking to girls. She looked me up and down and started laughing. Alice and Jasper laughed briefly, but then went back to their own conversation.

"Well, if it isn't the guy out to kill me!" Rosalie said, I think. It was hard to concentrate when I was looking at her eyes. Wow, were they blue.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that," I said. "Maybe you should've worn your mixing bowl as a helmet."

She laughed a really cute laugh and then started blushing. "I'll keep that in mind if I ever attend another baseball game. But I don't know if that'll happen, I'm pretty traumatized." God, she was adorable.

"Aw, you've got to come to more games, Forks is small. We need all the fans we can get." I said.

"Okay, okay. You talked me into it. I'll go to as many as I can."

"Speaking of going places, there is a party tonight at Mike Newton's. Now, I know you don't know who that is, but you should go." I said, hoping and praying she would agree.

"Oh, I don't know about that..." she said, trailing off.

"You'll have fun, I promise. I'll even drive you out there." Now I sounded like I was begging, probably.

"Oh, okay. I'll have to take Alice home first, though." She said.  
"You sure? You can hang out at our house while I take a shower, if you'd like."  
"Okay, that sounds like a plan. Let me just give Alice the keys, then." She pulled them out of her pocket, and handed them to Alice, who was still standing beside her.

"Holy shit. You have a BMW?" I said, admiring the key chain.

"Oh, yeah. It's that one over there." She said, pointing to a cherry red BMW M3. I wanted to fuck that car. Or, better yet, I wanted to fuck Rose in that car.

She walked beside me to my Jeep. Before she got in, I opened the door for her. I never really had a girl I wanted so badly before, just the occasional fuck-and-dump. I thought that opening the door for her would be really nice, and I guess she agreed because she smiled at me. It was the best smile I think I had ever seen, even if it was a little crooked. Embarrassingly, the Jeep didn't want to start the first three times I tried. Once I got it started, I shifted into first and started driving. That's when I noticed that she was looking at me really weird.

Then, she spoke. "I don't know how to drive one of these."

I laughed. "A Jeep? It's just like driving your BMW. Except this is bigger, and not as fancy."

"No, no. A stick shift." She said.

"You might not want to tell a guy you can't handle a stick, you know." I mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing. I can teach you how to drive this, sometime. I think you could figure it out." I said.

"That'd be pretty awesome." She said, smiling. I would teach her anything if she kept smiling like that. Then came the awkward silence.

"If you want some music, I've got a CD case in the back seat." I said.

She unbuckled her belt and turned around. I was hoping Chief Swan wasn't on patrol at the moment.  
"You also have a lot of Sham-Wows back here." She said. "What's up with that?"

"It rains a lot here. You never know when you will need them." I said, and she gave me a weird look. "What? Olympic divers use them. Have you not seen the infomercial?"

She laughed. "No, I guess I haven't."

She popped in one of my mixed CDs, and Styx's "Renegade" came on over my speakers. It was one of my favorite songs, ever. Listening to music definitely made the time go by faster, but I wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or not.

We pulled up to my house and I parked the car in the driveway. Edward was already home and I am sure he had showered already too. This could get interesting.

"Whoa. Shiny silver Volvo." She said, admiring it.

"Oh, yeah. That's Edward's. He's the golden child who just got his license two months ago. I am sure the Volvo will be around for a long time." I said, sarcastically.

"Edward... is he the guy that was out in center-field," she asked, "He's your brother?"

"Yes, yes. The "Great One" is my brother." I said, kind of snapping at her.

I think I may have hurt her feelings, but I really hope I didn't. I didn't want to lose that beautiful smile that she had been giving me.


	6. Chapter 6

**These characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, not me. Just making that clear. **

**Rosalie**

"_Potpourri for ____$400"_

"_The Kennedy Center's grand foyer is lit with 18 of these crystal items; they each weigh a ton." _

"_Chandeliers."_

As I stepped (carefully) out of Emmett's Jeep, I was already in awe of their house. I was kind of feeling woozy because I never thought Emmett would ask me out, but this just made me feel like I was in an alternate universe. Was this a date? I had no idea, as I had never been on one before. Why didn't he ask Alice to go to this party, anyways? So many questions, so little time to answer them.

I walked up the steps to the front door and followed Emmett inside. The interior was even more spectacular than the mansion-like exterior. There was a chandelier hanging above my head, wooden floors, comfortable couches and I could see the kitchen off in the distance. It had stainless steel appliances, including a French-door refrigerator and a drawer dishwasher. Jealous.

Emmett excused himself to take a shower and get ready for the party, and he gave me the classic line to "make myself at home". I decided to just keep looking around and observe. Their decorations were mostly manly, and I wondered why that was. I soon found out when I saw a family picture, sans women. It was just Edward, Carlisle and Emmett sitting casually on a haystack. It was a pretty picture, even if it was a little bit country. Emmett was wearing a plaid shirt, leaning forward a bit, and smiling huge for the camera. Goodness, he was gorgeous. Edward didn't look bad either, in a plain white shirt & jeans. He had bright green eyes, almost like Alice's.

I heard a deep, velvety voice behind me. "You like that picture or something?"

Edward, I confirmed, as I turned around. "Uh, yeah. It's a really good one." I said.

"Yeah, Jasper Hale took it a few years ago. You probably don't know who that is, though..." he said, trailing off.

"Oh, actually, I do. I met him today." I said.

"Oh... neat." He said, and a few seconds of a really awkward silence followed.

"Well, we can sit on the couch and watch TV if you want." Edward said.

"Sure, that would be great." I said, and went to sit down.

He switched on the television, and turned it to ESPN. Great, now if any sports question was asked, I would have no idea how to answer it. I was dreading it, and I swore Edward turned his head and opened his mouth. Awesome. Thankfully, Emmett came in the living room at that moment to save me from embarrassment. When I saw him, I am pretty sure all the color drained out of my face. He was wearing a plain gray t-shirt, dark jeans, and brown shoes. The shirt made his eyes a wonderful color, and brought out a darker color of blue around his irides. He had a little bit of stubble, I noticed it earlier, but I was glad he hadn't shaved it off. His hair was fixed with a bit of gel and he had styled it up out of his face. To put it shortly, he looked gorgeous.

He smiled at me. "You ready to go?"

"Sure." I said.  
"You bring a jacket? It's getting cold outside." He asked.

"Oh, crap. No. I forgot my hoodie in my car." I said, grimacing. I hated the cold.

"Oh, hang on." He left the room.

"What kind of car do you have?" Edward asked me.

"Um. It's a BMW M3." I said.

"Son of a bitch. That's awesome." He said, chuckling.

Emmett returned with a giant navy blue jacket. He held it out to me and I took it. I noticed the front said Spartans, and the back said Cullen. I was actually relieved to have this, so that way the people at this party would know who the heck the new girl came with. Not to mention I wouldn't freeze my butt off now. The jacket smelled like boy – a classic pairing of cologne, soap and hard work. I could bathe in this scent, but then I would smell like boy. I think that would give people the wrong image. I put the jacket on, and it swallowed me.

Emmett laughed. "Wow. I'm a lot bigger than I thought."

"Maybe I am just smaller?" I suggested.

"Either one makes sense, I guess. Never really seen a girl in my coat before." He said.

He led me out to his Jeep and opened the door for me. As he was walking around to the driver's side, he looked at me and smiled the smile that I saw in the picture earlier. It was even better seeing it in real life. I was hoping to see it more tonight at this party, but I was really nervous that Emmett was going to ditch me and then I would have to fend for myself. A mental image flashed in my mind of me walking home and getting attacked by a bear. Or maybe getting shot by a hunter, or better yet, a hunting umpire.

Emmett

"_Also Found at a Circus for ____$1600."_

"_You'll go head over heels for these stemless cocktail glasses with thick bottoms."_

"_What is a tumbler?" _

I started up the Jeep, and started driving out to Mike's. He lived a little ways out of town, so I would have some alone time with Rose before the party. We didn't really talk though, we just listened to the mixed CD Rose had picked earlier. She laughed when "Cum on Feel the Noize" came on, and I had no idea why. That was a fucking great song. When we got to Mike's, Rosalie looked pretty nervous.

"Something wrong?" I asked, as I pulled the keys out of the ignition.

"Oh, no. Not really. I am just really bad at meeting new people." She said, looking down.

"You did fine meeting me. But, alas, you did have a shiny mixing bowl on your head. That may've helped." I smiled at her.

"Haha," she said, sarcastically, "See what I mean?"

"You'll be fine. I promise." I said, "If it gets too bad, we can leave. Sound like a deal?"

"Yeah, that'll be fine." she said, smiling at me. I got the smile, that's all I wanted to see.

I walked up beside her. She looked so damn good in my jacket, too. "Is it okay if I put my arm around you?"

Her smile grew wider. "Yeah, I'd like that."

I slipped my arm over her shoulders as I walked her into Mike's house. I had been to too damn many of Mike's parties before, and I knew this one would probably not be any different. I was right, there was a mini-bar to the left of us and snacks laid out for everyone. That was a relief, because I was thirstier than Tara Reid in rehab. And, quite frankly, I was starving. I led Rose over to the mini-bar, and ordered our drinks.

"Hey, man. I would like a Captain Pepper and Rose here wants some kind of fruity ass drink." I told the bartender.  
"I do?" she asked.

"Yes, you do." I said, putting the drink in her hand after the bartender finished shaking it.

"Well, okay then. By the way, how did they get a bartender to come here?" she asked.

"The Newton's own the hunting and sports store downtown. They get a lot of business." I explained.

"Oh, I see." She continued looking around.

"By the way, you might want to have something in your stomach before you drink that." I told her, and handed her a plate to fill up.

She took it, thankfully, and put a triangle-shaped sandwich on it, and also a cookie. Good God, I even liked her taste in food. I grabbed the same thing she did (only doubled) and we sat down at the island in their kitchen to eat. I noticed a lot of people were staring at us. Okay, everyone was staring at us. I didn't give a damn though, Rose was hot, nice and the town of Forks could kiss my ass. Fuck

'em all. She had finished all her fruity ass drink. Whoa, that was fast. She grabbed my hand and led me out to the dance floor. This was awkward. #1 – I don't dance. #2 – I really don't dance to rap music.

She looked me in the eyes and said, "If they're going to stare, we might as well give them something to look at."

This really made me like her more. She shimmied her ass, traced her body with her hands, and then started to grind on me. _Whoa, wait. Smart girls aren't supposed to know how to do this_, I thought. Then, she pulled her hair down and did the classic head shake. I couldn't even explain what it looked like, except by saying it was orgasmic. I tried to move to the music, but it didn't matter because no one was looking at me anyways. I think I saw Mike Newton's jaw drop from across the room. Because of this dance, I think it was safe to say that no one would be thinking straight when they heard "Shake Ya Tail Feather" again. This dance was making me, Emmett Cullen – bona fide country boy, love rap music. It was also making my dick so hard that a cat couldn't scratch it. Then, to everyone's dismay, the song ended. Some people even clapped for her, and this made her blush. Ah, that's the Rose I remembered.

She looked up at me, and smiled. "Wanna get me another drink, or what?"

"Of course..." I said, kind of taken aback. I liked the feisty side of her, it was different and exciting. And, when she gave me that smile, I would probably do anything for her.

I went up to the bar, and ordered her another fruity ass drink, and I demanded it to be made the same way the other one had been made. The waiter quickly made another, and handed it to me. As I was walking back to Rose, Newton stopped me.

"Cullen, Cullen, who's this new piece of ass you brought here?" He asked me with a sneer.

"Her name's Rosalie, and she isn't a piece of ass." I said, getting defensive.

"Oh, really? She's not? Funny, because that's exactly what she looks like to me." he said, puffing up his chest to make himself bigger, and slurring all the words he was speaking. "I think we all know that Emmett Cullen isn't the best with relationships."

"Shut the fuck up, Newton." I said, setting the glass down. I think we all also knew that Newton didn't stand a chance against me. He was about 5'9" and 140 pounds, I could bench press the guy.

"What, are you saying that little Miss Rosalie doesn't know about your past? Let's ask all the women here, I am sure they know all about it..."

I walked over to Rose, and put my arm around her. "Come on, Rose, let's get out of here."

"Yeah, I'd like that." she said.

Before we walked out, she grabbed the tumbler of fruity ass, pounded it, and stared Newton down as she did it. Let's face it – the girl had class.

_A/N – This chapter was another one that was very enjoyable for me to write. Also, sorry about the dance scene, the only Nelly song I had popped up on my iPod and I couldn't help myself. Also, I do not condone underage drinking. _


	7. Chapter 7

**These characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. Just making that clear.**

_A/N : Lots of dialogue in this one, I need to work on it more. Sorry it's so long, I hope you don't mind._

**Rosalie**

_"____That '70s Song for __$600."___

_"__Beelzebub, Bismillah & Scaramouch are all mentioned in the lyrics to this nearly 6-minute-long song____." _

___"What is ____Bohemian______Rhapsody?____" _

I can't believe I drank that so fast. My head was kind of spinning, I had never had alcohol before. I don't think there was that much in those drinks, but still. I weighed like 115, it couldn't take much to get me buzzed, right? I followed Emmett out to his Jeep. He was pretty pissed.

"I'm so sorry that everyone acted like that..." Emmett said, opening my door quickly.

"I don't know if I understand." I said.

"Well, Newton had no reason to call you that. Or bring up my past." Emmett said, slamming his door.

I jumped. "Emmett, if you are worried about what I think of your past, I really couldn't care less."

"Really?" he asked.

"Really. I mean, that Newton guy's still an ass, but whatever."

"Oh... okay."

It got awkward in the car, so I tried diverting his attention. "Did you know that emeralds are worth more than diamonds of the same size and quality?"

It worked. "Wow, really? That's neat. How do you know all these random things?"

"Uh, I read a lot?" I said.

"Oh. I read _Sports Illustrated_. Does that count?"

"No... not so much." I said, laughing.

On the way back to my house we sang along to "Free Fallin'". I tried to sing along to some of the other songs he had, but I would end up forgetting the words. But really, who knows all the words to "Bohemian Rhapsody"? Oh, that's right, EMMETT does. The ride went by a lot faster than I wanted it to, and before I knew it we were back at my house. I looked at Emmett and smiled.

"I had fun tonight." I said.

"Yeah, so did I. A lot of fun." he said.

"Thank you for taking me out, I appreciated it. You're like the only person I know here." I said.

"Yeah, I know. I like that though. I want you to myself. I _want_ you." he said, looking into my eyes.

Wow. No one had ever wanted me before, or not that I knew of, anyways. He was looking at me, waiting for a response. I didn't know what to say. I really, really liked him. Then again, he was the only person I knew here. What if there was something better? I decided I wanted to make him work a little more.

"I want you too... but..." I said, after what seemed like hours of deliberation.

"Oh, God. There's a but? Buts are never good." he said.

"That's not true, you have a very nice butt." I said, blushing.

"What was the original but for, though?" he said. "And thanks. I like my butt too."

"Well, I think it would be a little fast to get together, you know? But I'd love to hang out with you more. In fact, tomorrow I will be making some desserts. I need someone to test them out." I said.

"Really? I'm not much of a sweets kind of guy. I can only handle so much sugar... but," he said, "I'd still love to come over. Just call me whenever you want to meet, I guess."

"You can bring a friend if you want, too. I mean, I have a sister." I offered.

"Yeah, that's right. You're twins?" he asked.

"Yes, how'd you know?" I said.

"Oh, I helped your mom hang a sign in the diner one day." he said.

"Oh. I knew she couldn't have hung that herself. Thanks for helping her."

"Oh, yeah. You bet. I'm just so strong. It must be my awesome butt muscles that helped me do it." he said.

I laughed and blushed at the same time. Then I playfully socked him on the arm. Hitting boys is flirting, right?

"Well, I guess I will go inside. I never told Esme where I was going, so she might be a little peeved."

"Yeah, okay. I don't want you to get in trouble. Can I walk you to the door, though?" he asked.

"Sure, that would be okay." I said.

He walked around the Jeep, opened my door, and helped me out. Then, he took my hand and walked me up to the door. Then he looked at me and I felt like his icy blues could just melt my soul. He put his number in my phone, and then he leaned down and kissed me on my cheek.

"Thanks for a good time, Rose. I'll see you later." he said, waving as he walked off.

"Yeah, you're welcome. And thank you, again." I said, walking inside. Mom was sitting on the couch, looking at me.

"Rosalie Lillian Hale... where the hell have you been?" she said, angrily. I think that is pretty obvious, though.

"Um. I was at a party. With Emmett Cullen. You know him..." I said, hoping that would help out my case a little bit.

"That's beside the point. For the record, I don't _know_ him, he just helped me one time." Esme said. Okay, so it didn't really help all that much.

Alice walked in the room, wearing teeny tiny pajamas. Oh, okay, she could dress like a slut but I could never do anything?

"Yes, Rose, where were you? I was _so_ worried." Alice said, scoffing.

"I don't know why you care." I said.

"Well, I don't really. I just couldn't miss this family-fun time." she said.

"Girls. Stop. Mary Alice, go back to your room. I wasn't talking to you." Esme said.

"Yeah, _Mary Alice_, she wasn't talking to you." I said. What was I, 4 years old?

"Whatever." Alice said, walking back into her room.

"Now, Rosalie, back to you. I can't believe you didn't at least call me." she said.

"Well, I'm sorry about that, really. I am. But, have I ever gotten into trouble? No." I said, making a valid point. I was pretty much the Golden Child.

"That is a good point, but that still doesn't mean you shouldn't at least let me know where you are." She said. "Was there alcohol at this party?"

"Yes." I said, hanging my head. "I drank two drinks."

"Okay, you know I have zero tolerance for that. Give me your phone. And you are grounded for a week. No leaving the house."

I groaned and handed her my phone. "I guess I will just practice desserts then."

"That sounds like a really good plan, Rose. Now go to bed. Good night, and I love you."

"Love you too mom." I said, walking up the stairs. I still had Emmett's coat on, so I took it off, smelled it and hung it on my desk chair.

This next week was going to suck.

Today was day one of the worst week ever. I woke up, threw my down comforter to the side, and sat up in my bed. I hated the mornings. I took a shower to relax my body, threw on my apron, and went to the kitchen. Today, my project was to make a perfect chocolate layered cake. I figured that was a good start. I opened the flour canister – we were out. There was no way I could make a cake with no flour, so I called my mom from our home phone. The phone rang twice then she picked up.

"Hello?" she said.

"Mom, it's me."

"You're not supposed to be on the phone." she said.

"Yeah, I know. But we're out of flour. I can't make anything without flour. Also, for the cake I am making, I need a cake saw. I can't find that either."

"Okay, I have both. I will bring them too you, okay? Are you sure you have everything else?" she asked.

I looked around the kitchen. "Um, I could use a saucepan, a few piping bags, and some cinnamon. I think that is all."

I heard my mom scratching these things down. She was not a quiet writer. "Okay, I will be there in a few."

While I was waiting for her, I changed Jake's food and water, and played with him. His leg was looking a lot better, I think that ointment was really helping. That made me start thinking about Emmett. I wondered what he was doing. He could have been sleeping. Maybe he was up watching Jeopardy or ESPN. Man, I wish I had my phone so I could text him. I was almost tempted to start looking for it, but I didn't want to get myself in even more trouble than I already was.

Mom walked in toting a box of stuff. She had her hair up in chopsticks, as usual, and had paint on her jeans and t-shirt.

"How's the diner coming along?" I asked her. I hadn't been to look inside it in a while.

"It's going good. Alice and I are painting now. They brought appliances in early this morning too." she said.

"Oh, really? Are they hooked up? Can I go cook there?" I asked. Staying in the house usually didn't bother me but when I was forbidden to go out, it made me itch to do something.

"Yeah, they are hooked up. And, I guess you can cook up there. You'll have to clean up your mess though." she said.

"Well, yeah. When do I not clean up my mess?" I said.

"Good point. If you're coming, hurry and grab your stuff. And then carry this heavy box out to my car. I don't want to do it again." she said, handing it over to me.

I took it. It really was heavy. "Okay. I'll be out in a minute."

I grabbed all the things I needed, walked outside and got into the Prius. My legs were always squished in this tiny little thing. It was a pretty short drive to the diner, so there wasn't much conversation. When we got there, I unloaded the car and went inside. It did look a lot different, and I had only been gone from there for a few days. The walls were painted a deep red, there was a bar and some tables now, and it had a classic 50's look, but with a modern touch. The appliances, to my delight, were all new and stainless steel. I decided to get to work right away.

I put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and started whisking away. I wondered if my mom was opposed to getting a Kitchen Aid mixer, it would totally help us all out. I put the cakes in the oven, and while they were baking I made a chocolate ganache to use in between the layers. I also made a butter cream icing to go around the outsides and the top. I slivered some almonds to sprinkle on the top. Once the cakes were done, I cut the four cakes I made into thirds, and stacked them all together. I was hoping the recipe I used was a good one. Alice and my mom came into the kitchen and they both took a big whiff.

"Wow, it actually smells like it's going to taste awesome." Alice said.

"It really does, Rose. It smells like you did a very good job." My mom said.

"Thanks. Let's try it." I said, cutting us all a slice.

Alice put the first bite into her mouth. "Oh my God, Rose. This is delicious!"

"I agree, honey. This is a really good cake." my mom said.

"It did turn out pretty good, huh? What should it be called?" I asked both of them.

"Fucking awesome cake." Alice said, taking another slice.

"Alice, don't curse." Mom said while stuffing her face. "What about, 'For Goodness Cake'?"

"Aw, that's cute. I like it. Let's use that one." I said, smiling.

"Oh, by the way, I need you to write descriptions for all these desserts, too." mom said.

"Will do." I said as they walked back into the main area.

About an hour later, we decided we were done with the work. I asked mom if I could ride back with Alice, and she said that would be fine. Then I asked Alice to let me out for a second at the vet's office. She did, and I took a plate with three slices of cake on the counter. I left a little note on it that said, "Sample Slices of Tall, Dark and Creamy, Love Rosalie Brandon. P.S. – Thanks for helping Jake! Also, Emmett, I am grounded for 6 days.". I figured adding Jake into the mix would make it a little less stalker-like.

When we got home, I crashed on my bed. One day of grounding down, and six more to go.

Emmett

"_French Food for ____$400."_

"_You can't have your gateau (this) & eat it too"_

"_What is cake?"_

I heard the door at the office make a ding sound, so I went into the waiting room. No one was in there, but I saw something sitting on the counter. It looked like a plate. When I got closer, I realized it was a plate. There were three gigantic slices of cake along with a note. The note said, "Sample Slices of Tall, Dark and Creamy, Love Rosalie Brandon. P.S. – Thanks for helping Jake! Also, Emmett, I am grounded for 6 days." That made me feel like a total asshole. What kind of guy gets his girl – okay, not official girl – grounded for 6 days?

I had been thinking of Rose since she left. That was very apparent this morning... but anyways. I was so shocked when she said she wanted to be with me, but then she said she wanted to take it slow. How confusing was that? I was bummed that I couldn't go over to see her for 6 more days, but at least there was cake. I was guessing the three slices were for everyone in my family, so I took one of the forks and took a bite out of a slice. Holy hell, it was the best bite of cake I had ever taken!

I finished up the slice and put the note in my pocket, then I finished up my work. I didn't know what else I would do for the day. I ended up just going home with Edward since we were both done with work for the day. We got home and decided it would be good if we played catch. We didn't have practice since the game was yesterday, our coach liked giving us a day of rest. I grabbed my mitt and a baseball and we went outside.

I threw the ball at Edward. "Dude, I wasn't ready!" He said, knocking the ball down with his glove. He retied his shoes and threw the ball back.

"What did you do last night." I asked him.

"Nothing at all. After you left I sat in the jacuzzi. Did your girl put out?" he asked.

"No, and I didn't ask her to." I said, launching the ball at him.

"Well, that's a first." he said.

"Shut your mouth." I said.

"Whatever, dude." he said.

After that, we just threw the ball in silence. I didn't mind. Silence was better than him cracking stupid jokes. Normally, they wouldn't bother me, and I would laugh along, but I didn't think it was fair for him to drag Rosalie into it. He didn't even know her.

About 30 more minutes of catch went by, and we decided that was enough for the day. Or, I did, because Edward started throwing it behind his back and under his legs and shit. Him showing off was a little too much for me to take that day. Not to mention, it was getting dark.

I went inside, put conditioner on my glove, and wrapped a baseball in it. Every good player knows to do this at least once a month. Our whole team does it, and it is probably why we were State Champions last year. Yes, we were held up to high standards here in Forks.

I took a shower and then laid down on my bed. Man, these next 6 days were going to fucking blow.


	8. Chapter 8

**These characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. Just making that clear.**

**Rosalie**

"_Rhymes with Pickle for __$300."_

"_It's one way to get a laugh." _

"_What is tickle?" _

The past 6 days went by as slow as I thought they would. I missed two of Emmett's games and I felt terrible about it. But what was I supposed to do? There wasn't much that I could do about it. I was pretty happy that school didn't start back up for 5 more days because it meant I had a little time to chill.

Since my freedom was back, I actually pulled the curtains back in the living room to look outside. It was gorgeous outside, so I decided to see if Jake was up for a walk. I finally got to take his cone off yesterday, and all his medicine was gone, so I figured he would be fine. I called him over to me, and he was as excited as I was to get out and about it looked like.

Before we left, I fixed my hair a little and put on some cute jogging shorts. Then, I grabbed some sunglasses and walked out the door. I started jogging and Jake followed me. He was well trained, so that meant I was lucky enough to not need to use a leash that I would most likely trip over. I was so slow that he could practically walk behind me though. That Physical Education class I had to sign up for was going to kick. My. Ass.

After 10 minutes of jogging we, unintentionally, of course, passed the Cullen's house. I was planning on knocking on the door, but when I got there, I saw I didn't have to. Emmett was outside, washing his Jeep. I stopped and made a loud whistle (is it still called cat-calling if a girl does it?), and he looked over at me. He lifted the wet sponge up and waved, throwing bubbles everywhere. I walked over to him. He also had a Sham-Wow tucked into his jeans pocket. Very nice.

"Need some help?" I asked.

"That depends. You have a bikini on under all that?" he said, chuckling.

"Oh, very funny, Emmett." I said.

"Well, my motto is : it never hurts to ask." he said, handing me a soapy sponge. "What are your plans today?"

"Hm. Apparently I'm helping you wash your Jeep." I said, as I bent down and started scrubbing the mud off of his tires. "Why are you washing this, anyways? It's just going to rain."

"Oh, well, I'm planning on going to Port Angeles today. I need to get school supplies. You can come, if you want." he said.

"Hm. I didn't even think of school supplies." I said.

"Yeah, there's lists online for each class." he said. "What classes are you taking, anyways?"

I thought for a second. "Um... Physics, Calculus, English, French III, Current Events, Study Hall, and Physical Education. In that order."

"Shit, girl. Genius much?" he said. "I share English and Current Events with you though."

"Well, at least I will know one person in those classes." I said.

"What, you didn't meet anyone at the party?" he said, laughing.

"You're such a... stupid head." I said, throwing my sponge at him.

That might have been a wrong move on my part! He ran over to me, picked me up and put me down on the grass. Then he pinned me to the ground, holding my wrists down. This was awkward.

"Are you ticklish?" he asked.

"Oh crap. I mean, no?" I said.

He grabbed my wrists with one hand, then used the other to torture, I mean tickle, me. I squirmed and tried to get away, but he wasn't having it. Jake started barking at him. Go Jake!

"Whoa... bad time to come out to the yard?" I heard, behind us.

Emmett rolled off of me as fast as lightning. "Hey, Edward."

I sat up and tried to brush the grass off of my hair. "Hey."

"Whatcha guys doin'?" Edward said.

"Washing the Jeep." Emmett said.

"That's exactly what it looks like..." Edward said.

"Well, I better leave this awkward situation and go get ready to go to Port Angeles." I said, excusing myself. "Pick me up later?"

"Oh, yeah. For sure. I will call you when I am ready, if you give me your number." he said.

I forgot he didn't have it, so I gave him my number before I left their house. I was pretty sure I had some mud in my hair and a huge grass stain on my back. Jake happily followed me as I jogged back home. I actually made it without tripping or falling, and that made me pretty happy.

When I got home, I realized I needed Alice's fashion help. She was sitting in her room, so I walked in.

"Alice. Can I have your help?" I said, hoping for the best.

"That depends. What kind of help?" she asked.

"Fashion help..." I said, shrugging.

"Uh, I guess. Where are you going?"

"Emmett wants to go to Port Angeles to get some school supplies. Basically we're just going to hang out." I said.

"So it's casual. I have something in mind. Now, go take a shower and get that crap out of your hair. I can't work with that." she said, turning her back to me and walking to her closet.

I did what she said and got the crap out of my hair. I didn't fix it yet, because I knew she would want to do a make-over. After I got out of the shower, I called my mom to make sure it was okay that I went. It was. I went back to Alice's room.

"Okay. Let's do this." I said to her.

"All right. I picked out these jeans from your closet, they make your butt look good. And this top is mine, but it should fit you fine. Go on, put it on." She said, handing me a pile of clothes. "And take these shoes too!"

I went into the bathroom and changed into it. It was a black slinky top, my favorite jeans, and red flats. I appreciated her putting me in flats – she knew my clumsiness too well. While I was walking back to her room I got a text from Emmett that said, _I'll be there in 30._

"Okay. I'll let you do my hair and make-up. But you've got to work fast. Emmett will be here in 30 minutes." I said, getting right to the point.

"Sit." she ordered, so I did.

She started curling away at my hair, which scared me a little. Then she started on my face. I had a hard time trusting her with eyeliner and mascara for some odd reason. Then, she accessorized. She clipped something in my hair, put a red bracelet on my wrist, and added a silver necklace.

"Perfect." she said, handing me a suede gray bag, "Mess this purse up and I'll kill you, though."

As she turned me around to face the mirror, I couldn't believe what was staring back at me.

**Emmett**

"_The Civil War for ____$2000."_

"_This term that means an ambusher & also inlcudes "B-U-S-H" gets that meaning from Civil War guerrillas." _

"_What is a bushwhacker?"_

Six days was a long time to wait to see Rose again. I'm not going to lie, I thought about going over to their house just to peek into the window to see her. That might've hurt my reputation a little bit, though. I sprayed some cologne on myself, looked in the mirror, and took a deep breath before I left the house. I looked (and smelled) pretty good, but I was still nervous. I didn't know why. I never acted like this around girls. Rosalie was different, though. She was very, very smart. She could dance. She had goals. She could bake.

I walked out to my Jeep and turned the key in the ignition. It actually started on the first try this time. That had to be a good sign, right? I listened to Motley Cru as I drove to pick up Rose. When I got there, I rang the doorbell and paced back and forth until she walked outside.

She looked stunning. Absolutely stunning. Nice tits. Nice ass. T&A, that's what guys notice first. Her eyes looked great also, though. There was something different about them today. I imagined it had something to do with make-up. She also had her hair down and curled, with a red flower clipped on the side of her head.

"Hi." I said, not wanting to say too much too soon. I was also afraid some of my thoughts might blurt out.  
"Hey." she said.  
"What kind of flower is that in your hair?" I asked.  
"Oh. I think it is an orchid." she said.  
"Hm. It's pretty."  
"Yeah, I agree. Hawaii's Big Island is also known as the "Orchid Isle"."

"You know a lot of random shit." I said.

"Oh, well, we went on vacation there a few years ago." she said.  
"I've always wanted to go there. I don't think I've ever even been on a vacation." I said, truthfully.  
"That sucks. We used to go on a lot when my dad was alive." she said.  
_Awkward_. "I'm sorry."  
"Oh, it's fine, I have kind of gotten over it," she said with a sad look on her face, "I was going to tell you, we can take my car if you want."  
_Fuck yes._ "Yeah, that would be cool."

We walked out to her car, and Rose handed me the keys. I couldn't believe she was going to let me drive. I walked around the car and opened her door for her, like I always did. Then I got in on my side, adjusted the mirrors and seat, and relaxed. Wow, this car was awesome. I must have been making a weird face, because I looked over and Rose was looking at me funny.

"Um, are you okay?" she asked.

I made a face when I turned the key in the ignition. "I'm fine..."

"You look like you're going to throw up..." she said, laughing, "Please don't puke in my car."

"Psht, and ruin the interior of this pretty thing?" I said.

"Are you just acting like you like me to get closer to my car?" she asked.

"Shit. How'd you figure it out?" I said, laughing, and backed the car out of the driveway.

She laughed. "Just a guess."

She turned on her iPod, and started flipping through songs. She settled on "Follow You Down" by the Gin Blossoms. Hm, 90s music. I could deal with that. We left Forks, and I turned onto Highway 101.

"How far is Port Angeles from here?" she asked me.

"Oh, it's about an hour and a half." I said.

"We have to go that far just to get school supplies?!" she said, astounded.

"Um, yeah. Welcome to Forks." I said. "You're not in L.A. anymore."

"I guess not." she said.

"You'll like Port Angeles, though. It's really a pretty neat town." I said.

"Okay." she said.

We chatted for the rest of the drive, but it wasn't really about anything important. As I pulled the car into Port Angeles, I noticed my stomach was rumbling.

"Rose, are you hungry?" I asked her.

"Yeah, actually. I am." she said.

"Okay, I know exactly where to go." I said, heading toward my favorite restaurant in town.

I pulled into the parking lot, and Rose gave me a look.

"The Bushwhacker?" she said, laughing.

"Trust me, honey. It's delicious."

"Well, okay. I'll trust you." she said, still laughing.

I walked around to her side of the car, and opened her door. The usual drill. I grabbed her hand and led her into the restaurant, where the hostess looked at us and smiled.

"Welcome to the Bushwhacker." she said, and Rose stifled a laugh, "Table for two?"

"Yeah, can we get one of the outside tables, please?" I asked.

"Sure thing." She said, leading us out there. "What would you like to drink?"

"Um, I would like iced tea with lemon." Rose said.

"Dr. Pepper, please." I said. Rose and I sat down, and we looked at the menus.

"Your waitress will get that to you, and then she'll take your order." the hostess said. "By the way, you two are so cute together."

I didn't have time to correct her, so I just read my menu, even though I already knew what I wanted.

"Do you want an appetizer?" I asked Rose.

"I don't know. I've never had any of these." she said, looking at the menu.

"Not even calamari? But you're from California."

"I'm still sheltered..." she said.

The waitress came to our table and gave us our drinks. "Wow! You two are cute together."

Rose smiled, and took her tea. "Thanks." she said.

That confused me, but I didn't argue.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked.  
"I am, are you, Rose?" I said, "Please don't order a salad."

"Ew. Salads are gross." she said, "Yeah, I am also ready."

"What would you like?" the waitress asked.

"I would like the Penne & Prawns." Rose said.

"Great choice." the waitress said. "What for you, sir?"

"The surf & turf, please. With the fries. And we'd also like some calamari." I said.

"How would you like your prime rib cooked?"

"Medium-rare, please." I said.

"Okay, I'm Jennifer, and if you need anything else, let me know." she said, walking away.

I looked at Rose. "Thanks for not getting a salad."

"Why would it be a big deal?" she asked.

"Because then you would ask for bites of my food." I said, "Right?"

"Wow. What do you watch, Lifetime Movies?" she said, laughing. "No one does that in real life, Emmett. Or no one I know, anyways."

"Lifetime Movies..." I scoffed. "More like _Die Hard_."

"_Die Hard_ sucks, Emmett." she said.

"What?! Everybody loves _Die_ _Hard_!"

"No, Everybody loves Raymond. Only guys like _Die Hard_. I mean, who doesn't put shoes on before they leave the room? Lame." she said.

She had a point, but still! It was _Die Hard_! "Okay, this conversation is for another day. I think people are staring at us."

She waved at the old couple next to us, and smiled. Very classy.

Jennifer the waitress brought out our calamari. I dipped a piece in ketchup, and popped it in my mouth.

"What's it taste like?" Rose said, eying it weird.

"I dunno. It's rubbery. But with a crunch at first." I said. It was pretty hard to explain.

"Great. A crunchy car tire..." she said.

"Your crunchy car tire will be better if you cover it in ketchup first." I told her.

"Naturally." she said, dipping it in ketchup and putting it in her mouth. She chewed it, and made a face. "It's really good, actually. Weird, though."

"Yeah. It is." I said.

We easily cleaned off the plate of calamari. I liked that she wasn't shy about eating in front of me. That made this day out a little less weird. Our "real" food came out a little bit later, and we stuffed ourselves. I always got the same thing, the house special, surf & turf, whatever it's called. It was a delicious prime rib and shrimp. It was delicious, and they always cooked my steak perfectly. I finished it up. Yum.

The waitress brought our check, and I put my debit card down to pay it. Rose tried to give me some cash.

"Nope, I'm paying." I insisted.

"That isn't fair." Rose said, and put a ten on the table. "I'm at least getting the tip."

"Well, okay. You can get the tip." I said.

It was kind of cool she left a tip. Not just any girl would do that. Rose sure was full of surprises. 

_A/N : The Bushwhacker really is a real restaurant. I couldn't resist when I saw their name online. =) _

_Here's their website, if anyone is interested. .com. Also, sorry if I offended any Die Hard fans._


	9. Chapter 9

These characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. Just making that clear.

A/N : Sorry about the wait, guys. I had a busy week! I hope this chapter makes up for my hiatus.

Rosalie

"_It's a Group Thing for ____$400."_

"_Isaac, Taylor & Zac on drums."_

"_Who is Hanson?"_

We left The Bushwhacker very full and content. Bushwhacker. Ah, that name kills me. Emmett walked me out to the car, and opened my door for me. I loved that he did that. It was very 1950s. I was not at all surprised that the waitress said we looked cute together, in fact, even I thought we would look great together.

We drove down to the office supply store, and I pulled out my list. I needed a few awkward things, like a protractor, but the rest was just general notebooks and pencils.

"What do you need?" I asked Emmett.  
"Oh, I mainly need notebooks and pens and stuff. I think I have to get a calculator though."  
"I see." I said, as we walked inside.

I grabbed a few notebooks, all different colors. Emmett grabbed 7 green ones.

"You don't color code your classes?" I asked him.  
"You do?" he asked back.  
"Well, yeah. It's easier to find the notebook." I said.  
"Oh, I just write the class name on the notebook." he said, laughing.  
"I guess that would work too." I said. "It's just not as cool."  
"Yeah. Organization is fun!" Emmett said, perking up as he said it.

We laughed, ran around the store a little bit, Emmett put on a pair of cat ears, and I bitched about how Halloween stuff was out already.

"But, it's August. That's just two more months." Emmett said.  
"Well, technically, it's two and a half because Halloween is October 31st."  
"Okay, Ms. Technical. Jeez." Emmett said, rolling his eyes. "Are you going to the Back-to-School bash?"  
"Um, I don't know what that is." I said, shrugging.  
"Oh, it's just everyone gets together at the school the day before and games are played. Pretty fun." he said. "There's a dance and stuff, usually."  
"Oh, I guess I'll go, then. Sounds okay." I said, and it really did sound fun.  
"Yeah, the extra-curricular activities always try to recruit people." he said.  
"Yikes." I said.  
"I bet they'll all try to fight over the new girls." he said.  
"Hm. You better protect me, then." I said.  
"I'll try..." he said. "Those chess club members are pretty damn vicious, though."  
I laughed. I had never laughed as much as I did with Emmett.

After we bought our stuff, we both noticed that there was a photo booth in the store, right by the door. We got in it, made some funny faces, and then got back in the car. We took extra pictures so we would each have a copy. He insisted on taking the one sheet where I made a fish face. Fuck my life. As he started the car, he looked over at me. 

"I like you, Rose. I know you know this already, but I'm just reminding you. You know, since I am not color coded for easy remembering." he said.  
I rolled my eyes. "I like you too, Emmett."  
"Come to the baseball game tomorrow. It's at Hoquiam at 5 o' clock." he said. "It's kind of far from Forks, but I really want you cheering us on."  
"How far is kind of far?" I asked.  
"Two hours?" he said, shrugging, as he put the car in reverse. "In this car, you could make it a lot faster, though."  
"Two hours?! That's a really long time!" I said. "Is there anyone I could ride with? I hate driving."  
"Jasper goes to every game, you could ride with him, probably." Emmett said.  
"Oh, yeah. I met him at the last game. I bet my sister got his number, too. I might look into that." I said.  
"I'll get you a Forks shirt to wear when we get back home, too." he said.  
"Really, where?" I said.  
"There's a store downtown that has them. You can pick one out." he said.

He drove and we listened to music. I flipped through my iPod and settled on Hanson's "Penny and Me".

"Oh, God. What the fuck is this gay shit?" Emmett said.  
"Hanson. Duh." I said, singing along.  
"It's terrible!" he said.  
"What? Why?! What's wrong with it?" I said.  
"Um. It sucks. The better question is... what's not wrong with it?" he said, laughing.  
"Oh, just listen to the words." I said, lightly nudging his arm with my elbow.

I put it on repeat after that. By the end of the car ride, he was singing along with me. This was definitely blackmail if I ever needed it. We drove into Forks, and Emmett pulled into a parking spot. We went inside the shop, and there was Forks memorabilia everywhere. Who would even need a three foot tall Spartan statue? My guess is no one, because it's still in the store.

"So... which one do you like?" Emmett asked.  
I pulled a ¾ length sleeve shirt off the rack. "I like this one."  
He cocked his head and looked at it. "Yeah, that's the only one that looks like a teen would wear. The others kind of look more suited towards, well, 80 year olds."

I agreed, found my size, and Emmett took it to the counter and paid for it. He insisted on paying for it, but it still made me feel kind of weird. A lot of girls would kill for a guy that paid for everything, but I liked being independent. I didn't feel like being a gold-digger, and I wanted Emmett to know that. I have seen his house, I know his family has money. I just didn't want to be "that girl" who mooches off of a guy.

Emmett took me home and we got out of my car. He looked at me, smiled and walked me to the door. Jake was scratching at the door and howling, so I let him outside. Emmett put down my hand.

"So... did you have fun today?" he asked.  
"Emmett, I had a blast. I really did."  
"Even at the Bushwhacker?" he asked.  
I giggled. "Yes. Even at the Bushwhacker."  
He put his hand on the back of his neck and rubbed it like he was nervous. "Uh. Do you think you'll ever be open to being my girlfriend?"  
I paused. "Yes, actually. I'm just not used to this dating thing, so I may need a little more time than most girls."  
"Okay. That's perfectly okay with me," he said, excited, "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my time."  
"Definitely not. I like you, a lot. And... that rhymed. I'm a geek." I said, blushing.  
"You're not a geek. Geeks can't dance." he said.  
"Haha. I blame the dancing on that fruity ass drink."  
"I wouldn't. Own it, girl." he said.  
"Fine. Hi, my name's Rosalie, and I can dance." I said.  
"That's better," he said, "I have to go though. I'll see you tomorrow. Hoquiam at 5. Don't forget!"  
"Of course I won't forget! Where else would I wear this awesome shirt?!" I yelled after him as he walked away. "I still have your jacket, by the way!"  
"Keep it, babe. You'll need it... soon." he said as he got into his Wrangler.

_He called me babe,_ I thought as I walked into the house, Jake following at my heels. _He. Called. Me. Babe. _I couldn't believe it, and I desperately wanted to hear him say he wanted me again. I got on my computer and made Emmett a mixed tape, decorated it, and put it in a jewel-toned case. I got Jasper's number from Alice and made sure it was okay I went with him. He agreed, and Alice decided she would go too. After this long day, I got in my bed and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the down pillow. I was going to try my damnedest to get a good night's sleep. I needed to look pristine the next day.

Emmett 

"_20__th__ Century Food for ____$400."_

"_General Mills introduced this "Fortunate" cereal in 1964."_

"_What are Lucky Charms?" _

When I got home from Rosalie's, I got on my computer and did a little search. I needed to research something, and I did. What I found was surprising, and I realized I might be in over my head with the idea that I had. Time would tell, I guess. Time never disappoints, it will always be there. Time was always consistent, even when nothing else was.

I woke up, had my usual game-day breakfast, and talked to Edward.

"Edward?" I asked.  
"Yes?" He said as he shoveled bacon in his mouth. He wasn't a cereal guy like me. I just couldn't resist the Lucky Charms and Honey Nut Cheerios.  
"Uh... have you ever been in love?" I said, almost whispering.  
"Love? What the fuck is love? Nah, bro. Hit it and quit it. That's my motto." Edward said. "Why? Who do you love?"  
"Well, no one. But I think I'm falling for Rosalie." I said.  
"Rosalie? That new chick you brought over?" he said, "Yeah, she's hot. But, falling for her? Have you even hung out since then?"  
"Uh, yeah. We went to Port Angeles yesterday." I said. He could be so oblivious sometimes.  
"Oh, my bad for not knowing what you do every second, jeez." he said.  
"Whatever, dude." I said, washing out my bowl and putting it in the dishwasher, "Just don't come to me when you have girl problems."  
"Don't worry, brother," he said, "I wouldn't dream of asking you for girl advice."

That was really comforting. So what? I know nothing about girls. However, I know a lot about baseball. That has to count for something, right? I had a girlfriend once, and her name was Abby. She was actually from Hoquiam, and I was praying that she didn't show up tomorrow. I knew that from how she was when we were dating, she would try to get all touchy-feely. She was a clingy bitch. We dated for about a month and a half before I decided I had enough of her trying to control me. Making me drive two hours every weekend to go see her was just a little too much for me. She never even offered to meet me in the middle.

Abby was a very beautiful girl, though. She had long, dark hair, and she was short and really perky. Total cheerleader and preppy type kind of girl. There was nothing wrong with that, but I couldn't handle that type of high-maintenance day in and day out. The conclusion I came to after a month was: I didn't want to waste my time being with her if we weren't destined to be together. We definitely weren't destined for each other. When I went for something, I went all the way. It's always all or nothing with me.

_A/N: Hope I did not disappoint! Good things are to come soon, so keep reading! _


	10. Chapter 10

**These characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. Just making that clear.**

**Rosalie**

_  
"Artists for $200."  
"Unlike other artists of the time, Leonardo based these angel parts on the ones that birds have."  
"What are wings?"_

_I woke up, drenched in a cold sweat. The worst nightmares were the ones that had actually happened in the past. This one haunted me about once a month, sometimes more or less. I've had it ever since my dad died. _

_ It always started out with our high school's annual Halloween party. Alice and I really put up a fight to go, we were only freshmen, and our parents weren't fond of the idea. After about a week of arguing, we convinced them. My mom and dad decided they could just go out for a nice dinner. I was dressed as a dark fairy and Alice was a showgirl (not a slutty one, she was pretty much fully clothed). We were 14, and the party was at a ritzy hotel. _

_ I remember everything about that night, in perfect detail. The room was dimly lit, but there were candles to give the room a haunting feeling. Alice and I were dancing to music, swinging our hips side to side. I remember my mom bursting through the doors in a frantic panic, and screaming our names as loud as she could. She broke down in the middle of the dance floor, and Alice and I both dropped the glasses of punch we had. The sound of breaking glass was nowhere near as painful as the sound of my mother's sobs. _

_ Tears were shed as she told us dad had been hit in the car after he dropped my mom off at the restaurant's doors. He was still alive, and was in critical condition at the USC University hospital. I got sick and hurled, right there on the dance floor when she told us. I didn't care what people thought of us. How could a person judge someone whose father was dying? _

_ How my mom got to the hotel, I would never know. I would never ask her, either. I could not imagine marrying the love of your life only to lose them. I couldn't fathom the heartbreak that she felt at that moment, and even I thought it was the end of the world. Little did I know, it would be a long, bumpy road that was the path to healing. _

_ When we got to the hospital, the doctors told us the outlook was not good. They asked us to say our goodbyes, and told us he would be gone before the next day. Bawling, I stepped into the room where he was hooked up to wires and machines. The constant beeping made it worse, and, even now, every time my ears start ringing, I hear those beeps. He looked terrible, with bruises on his face and his nose obviously broken. The top of his head was wrapped, and I didn't even want to know what was underneath them. I told him I loved him, sat next to him on the bed and sobbed. I took off my fairy wings and put them on the bed. The crystals hanging from the black wings were the same as the tears that fell from my eyes. Clear, and heavy. Since I didn't believe in angels, I hope the wings carried him somewhere peaceful. _

_***_

After I took a shower to clear my head, I got dressed and ready for the game. I grabbed my Forks Spartans shirt out of the dryer. It really was a neat shirt. It was navy blue with yellow sleeves, and had Forks in white on the front, with a white Spartan. I looked outside, and it was overcast. Yuck. I decided to wear jeans instead of shorts. I also put on tennis shoes, because I didn't want to be sinking into mud with anything else. As soon as Alice was ready to go, I grabbed Emmett's jacket, and also his mixed CD I made him.

"Hey, Alice? Will you drive by the school and see if the bus has left yet?" I asked.  
"Uh, yeah, I guess." she said.

She did, and the bus was indeed there. I found the window that Emmett was sitting by. I stood on tiptoes and knocked. He opened it and peeped his head out of the window, and looked down at me.

"I made you a mixed CD," I said, handing it to him as the bus started. I jumped and started to run back to the car, "See you at the game!" I called after him. He put his arm out the window and waved at me.

I was ready to be at Hoquiam and see them play, but I wasn't as excited for the 2-hour trip with Alice and Jasper. We got to Jasper's house, which was very nice on the outside. It was very big, tan colonial style house with a perfectly manicured lawn. I wondered what the Hales occupations were. I also wondered if everyone in the whole town was freaking rich.

Alice and I got out of the car and went up to his door. Alice blushed, which was weird, as she knocked on huge oak door. She actually used the knocker, which was a little lion. How cute. I love lions. Lions were the mascot at our old high school. The mascot was pretty much the only thing I liked out of the whole freaking school. Eh, except debate club, because we actually won a lot. I was actually a very competitive person for how much I hated sports.

I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I pulled it out, and opened it, and saw that it read _One New Message from Emmett. _I fumbled with the phone from excitement, got it under control and clicked read. I didn't really know what he was going to say, and I was really surprised when I read, _Rosalie. I can't believe you put fucking Hanson on that CD you made_.

I started laughing hysterically. Jasper had come to the door, and Alice and him were looking at me like I was a damn lunatic. Well, I probably was, but that is a different story. I sent him a message back. _Of course, Emmett._ _I know deep down you love them._ Another 30 seconds went by before my phone buzzed again. I had to give him props, the guy could text like a maniac. Though something about that worried me. _No._ _Not even deep down. _I did like how he didn't type in text speak also. His texts were actually easy to decipher. _Okay. Deep deep deep down._ I shot back. I didn't feel a buzz after that. Weird.

Jasper, Alice and I all got into Alice's car. We had to take it because it had more room than Jasper's car, which was a red '67 Chevelle. We didn't get to see it though, because it was in the alarmed garage so no one stole it. Yeah, it's official. Everyone in Forks was rich. Jasper started up the car and drove us out onto the road. I got another buzz. _Okay, maybe a little._ I smiled a smile of gratification.

I enjoyed the fact that Emmett knew when to bow out of an "argument".

__

**Emmett**

"_Snack Attack for __$600."_  
"Spice things up with this snack--tortilla chips covered with melted cheese & dare I say jalapenos!"  
"What are nachos?" 

Hanson?! Fucking Hanson?! Not only was it Hanson... it was N*Sync. It was the Backstreet Boys. It was fucking LFO. Good thing she wrote out a list to tell me all the names and artists, or I would have thought all the songs were sung by the same band. The amazing thing is, I listened to every. Single. Song. All of them. Why? Why would I put myself through torture for TWO HOURS? Especially before a baseball game! I am supposed to be listening to Styx right now. Or Guns and Roses. But instead, I am listening to "Every Other Time" by mother fucking LFO. I sent her texts and tried to pretend it wasn't a big deal. It was, though. It was downright embarrassing, even if no one else had a clue.

Something was wrong with me, obviously. No way would any normal person be able to sit through that for two hours. I got off the bus, seething and confused. An odd combo, but it is what it is. I was hoping Rosalie was just fucking with me and didn't really love all of those songs. Loving them when she is 12 is a lot different than loving them now, though. I did not like my mind being a jumbled mess of random craptastic thoughts, but that is exactly what Rosalie made it do.

When I saw her face, it wasn't just seeing the face of a girl. It was like seeing the face of a goddess... flawless skin that contrasted with her stunningly blue eyes, which were framed by a multitude of dark lashes. She had a perfect nose and high cheekbones. Her blond hair that framed her face, and the soft tendrils that were always in the way, then she would have to lift up her hand and sweep them back. And her lips, Good God her lips. Full, the perfect shade of pink, they would definitely look good around my... never mind.

To get back to the point, she made my heart race. I wouldn't think about her body, because baseball pants are tight, and I wasn't wearing a cup yet. I walked into the dugout and threw my bag on the concrete floor, where it made a thud. Edward looked at me and frowned.

"Emmett. Focus. No need to get pissed. We _need_ this game." he said. Really, we didn't need it. No one _needed_ a perfect fucking record to win state or anything, this wasn't college football.

I looked at him. "I don't want to talk." I said through my teeth, and walked out to the field to play catch.

After warm-up, I waited in the dugout for my turn to bat. I was the third batter, so I had to step up to the fucking plate in the first inning, which didn't give me much time to fucking get over myself. I seemed to get myself somewhat together, and stepped up to the plate.

I saw Abby in the stands. _Strike one._

I saw Abby look really closely at Rosalie. _Strike fucking two._

And, finally, I saw Abby get up and start walking over there. _Strike three._

Thankfully, I was only the second out, and Edward was up next. He hit a home run, surprise, surprise and then Newton hit a pop fly to the first basemen, so it was our turn to go out on the field. I can't believe she walked over to Rosalie. Why would she do that? What a fucking crazy ex-girlfriend-bitch-whore! I just couldn't think of enough teenage girl, stereotypical words to describe this situation that was most likely going down the shitter. I tried to focus as Sam was pitching, making sure I watched the ball all the way into Mike's catcher's mitt. I felt like a freaking forth grader with ADHD, trying to take a standardized test.

After the torture that was our baseball game, which we lost by two points because I am a major dumbass, our JV team got ready to play. This meant I would have time to talk to Rosalie and kick Abby in the cunt. I went to the bathroom and changed my clothes. It was the next best thing to getting to take a shower, which was not a luxury we were offered at visiting games. On my way to Rose, I stopped by the concession stand and got some nachos. I could never resist that cheese from a can. I handed over the money to the girl and took my food over to where Rose and Abby were sitting.

"Hi, Emmett." Abby said, with traces of slut oozing off of every word.  
"Um. Hi," I said, and turned to Rose, "Thanks for coming, babe."  
"That sounds like bedroom talk to me..." Abby said. Was she really saying these words or was it my imagination fucking with me?  
"Excuse me?" Rosalie said. So it wasn't just me, then. "I don't even know you, and people that do know me wouldn't even make comments like that about me. Please don't just assume we do those things."  
Abby scoffed. "Oh, come on. You hang out with Emmett. He's a lot more inappropriate than I am."  
Rosalie stood up. Cat fight? "No, he's not. I could tell you're an inappropriate bitch from when you first talked to me. Who else would approach someone _just because they're wearing your exes' jacket_? Ask yourself that! I could've been wearing Edward's jacket for all you know. Emmett and I aren't even dating!" 

People were starting to look over and stare. I started sweating. This being in the middle of attention shit wasn't my thing. It was also really weird to me that girls could talk for a little bit, be in good company, and then someone says something and they hate each other. All within a few seconds, nonetheless.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have answered my questions then." Abby said.  
"Uh, I'm not a bitch. I'll answer people's simple questions." Rosalie said.  
"Rose, Abby--" I said, trying to interject.  
"If you call me a bitch one. More. Time..." Abby said.  
"What? What could you possibly threaten me with?" Rose said.  
"Girls... I think we should not--" I said.  
"Emmett. Shut the hell up." Abby said.  
I said, "Don't tell me to shut up," at the same time Rose said, "Don't tell him to shut up." . 

I looked at Rose. We both must have been thinking the same thing, because we both just started to walk away, while that crazy bitch was yelling profanities behind us. I would explain my relationship with Abby to Rose when the time was right, or whenever she asked. Whichever came first.

"So, what's up with that chick?" she asked. Well, that didn't take long.  
"She's the crazy ex." I said, shrugging.  
"Obviously. But why is she so insane?" Rose asked.  
"I dunno. She was like that the whole time we dated. It just took me about a month and a half to get tired of that shit." I said.  
"I see. I feel weird interrogating you like this, but I'm genuinely curious. I can't believe she yelled at me!" she said, laughing.  
"I can't believe you yelled right back at her. You've got balls." I said, laughing.  
"Let's hope that isn't a rumor that gets spread around..." she said.  
"No kidding. So, you aren't mad?" I asked.  
"Not mad. Just surprised. I'm sure we'll have a talk about this sometime, but not here."  
"That seems fair." I said, looking at her.

We had made our way to behind the bus, and somehow her hand had made it into mine. I spun her around, quite gracefully if I might add, and looked into her eyes. Those bright, blue, intoxicating eyes. She looked right back into mine. She moved her head closer to mine, and I followed her lead--

"Rosalie!! There you are. Let's go! Jasper's ready." Alice said.  
Rosalie groaned, then gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "Bye, Em." She said, walking away.  
"See ya." I said, and waved.

Even though watching her walk away was a great view, I was majorly bummed that I didn't get a good kiss. We were so close, yet so far. I didn't know if I could take the confusion much longer.


End file.
